The present invention relates generally to automotive doors and more specifically to the rear side doors of automobiles and auxiliary structure for enhancing the resistance of such doors to the imposition of lateral loads.
Good design practice for automotive bodies requires that attention be given to the resistance of various body side panels to the imposition of lateral loads. Among the more difficult vehicle side panels for which to provide lateral force supporting designs are vehicle doors. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,819,228 to Cornacchia and 3,776,588 to Sobajima, et al, illustrate vehicle body designs which use special parts and formation, adjacent the upper and lower edges of the door to define two load paths between the door and the peripherally surrounding adjacent body structure of the vehicle. None, however, have adequately provided a means for enhancing the resistance to lateral load by the rear door structure of a conventional automotive vehicle.
To accomplish this desirable goal, it is deemed appropriate to provide a reinforcing mechanism substantially to retain the external shape of the adjacent door and body structures and provide for reinforcing operation that is substantially insensitive to the mechanics of body panel deformation on the side of the vehicle.